Known door lock apparatus for a vehicle controls a vehicle door in a locked state so as to prevent an unintended door opening during the vehicle running state when the door lock apparatus detects the vehicle in a running state by a vehicle speed sensor. Under a normal running condition of the vehicle, the door lock apparatus controls the vehicle door in the locked state when detecting the vehicle speed reaching or exceeding a predetermined vehicle speed.
In addition, when impact is applied to the vehicle due to a collision and the like, the door lock apparatus is configured not to control the door in the locked state by the vehicle speed sensor so that an occupant is prevented from being trapped in the vehicle even if the vehicle starts running after the collision due to the effect of a downhill road and the like. Such vehicle door lock apparatus is disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 2657874.
According to the disclosed door lock apparatus, when the vehicle door is permitted to open after the vehicle collision is detected, a door handle might be operated to open erroneously in case of an occurrence of the rollover after the collision.
Thus, a need exists for a door lock apparatus for a vehicle which can prevent an unintended door opening in case that the impact is applied to the vehicle.